Like a brother to me
by Clueless Girl
Summary: [COMPLETE]What bound them together was a special relationship. They were like a brother and sister. Karou hoped nothing would break their relationship, but could she be wrong?
1. Chapter 1

**Like a brother to me.**

**A/N: Hey people, this is my first RK fiction, soooo, I hope u like it. **

**By the way, Shimmering Tear, and Starry Night Blue, thanks a lot for your help and support couldn't have done it without you.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own RK, not Ken, not Kaoru, not Sano, not Misao. Just a few hundred pictures of them in my PC.**

**Chapter 1:**

That's how I got to share the greatest friendship with the greatest guy ever. Sanosuke Sagara. Sano was good-looking; he was tall and fit, he had warm chocolate eyes and his matching hair seemed to mock gravity. He was funny and sweet, despite the rough street thug image he tried to portray. He was popular sophomore in high school when I met him in my freshman year.

"Go Sano" Misao Makimachi, my roommate, companion, and most importantly, my best friend, cheered him. We've been together since we were little; pretty sweet, huh? She's the head cheerleader in our school. She's a lot like Sano in many ways; both are hyper although no one's a match for my dear Misao. She also pretends to be a lot tougher and irresponsible while actually she is very caring and sensitive. I truly think that she and her boyfriend Aoshi Shinomori to be a match made in heaven, despite their extreme differences. He is so cold you'd mistake him for an ice burg while she was so hyper you'd think sometimes that there's a rat in her pants. He's very tall while her height is considerably below the average for her age. However, one of the strongest points that connect them together perfectly is that she's the head cheerleader while he's the captain of the basketball team.

Sano flashed her a bright smile as he sped by. Sano's speed is what got him to be one of the greatest runners in the state. We were both relay runners.

"You're on, Kaoru," he yelled as he slapped my hand. It's my turn now. I felt the wind rushing past me, revealing the great sensation of traveling with the air. As I ran, I remembered how we first met.

He introduced himself to me as we were waiting for the coach to arrive one day, and from then on we were best friends. There was something between us, something very special. We grew to be the kind of friends who shared everything. We developed an unbreakable bond.

I was suddenly snapped back to reality by sano's booming voice. There he was, standing by the finishing line, his arms wide open, urging me to come faster.

"You can do it Kaoru, win it for us"

_Yes, for you Sano, for me, for us._ It was as if his voice gave me the power to continue. 

Closing my eyes, I focused all my remaining strength on the track ahead of me. It was just a matter of seconds until I felt the ribbon snap against my abdomen as I ran through it. I did it!

I slowed down a bit but continued running to where he stood and jumped into his open arms. He wrapped them around my tiny figure and lifted me up high and spun around.

But suddenly, he seemed to have lost his balance and staggered a bit and almost dropped me, but instead he lowered me gently on the ground before he fell on all four panting.

"Sano" I gasped as I knelt next to him, "You alright?"

He slowed down his breathing and looked up at me, giving me his wide, handsome, warm smile. "I suddenly remembered that I'm tired" he said sarcastically and I smiled.

"Sano" I heard Kenshin Himura's voice, Sano's other best friend calling him. I looked up and was shaken by the look of pure horror on his pale face. "You all right?" he asked worriedly. Sano knew Ken way before we met and they seemed to share their own special relationship. However, I was never jealous or envious because I had my own too (Misao) and also, I knew very well that what we (Sano and I) shared was even more special, even though it was only one year old. Ken had surprisingly bright maroon hair and soft lavender eyes; he was a true exception of the Japanese race. Unlike Sano, he was a tad too short, he's even shorter than me!

"Of course I am" Sano spat at him.

I looked from Sano to Ken and vice versa with a big question mark on my face. Ken seemed to be sincerely 'extra' worried on Sano, but Sano seemed to send him angry sparks. I was still under the influence of the extra adrenaline and let this weird situation pass unquestioned; may be they had a fight earlier or something and Sano forgot to tell me about it, but I knew he would soon, he never kept anything from me…How terribly wrong I was…

"I'm fine people" he said cheerfully as he stood up and stretched, "Let's have a PARTY!"

"Yeah!" I cheered as I jumped onto my feet as well, totally unaware of any thing…

**A/N: Sooooo, did u like it people? Well, if u did, show that by clicking on the little purple button…oh, and wait for my next chapter, it's gonna be soon!**

_**-CG**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Like a brother to me**

**A/N: okay ppl, here's my second chappie, hope u like this one too.**

**Thnx for all who reviewed me.**

**Disclaimer: (sniff) no, I don't own anything of RK. (Wails)**

Chapter 2

Our table seemed to be the noisiest in the pizza place. Joy and laughter radiated from us as we celebrate our victory. Sano, Ken, Misao, Aoshi, Megumi (Sano's girl friend) and I were partying. Actually, you could cancel Ken and Megumi. Ken seemed to be uneasy and Megumi was dangerously silent. Misao, Sano and I made all the fun. Even Aoshi tipped in. We joked and laughed aloud, attracting eyes towards us.

Professor Hiko Seijuro was there with his mother! He came to our table and congratulated Sano and I for winning, and then scolded Sano and Ken aloud for not submitting their project on time.

Megumi remained silent for most of the time, not opening her mouth except to eat. Then towards the end, she suddenly asked Sano angrily for a private word. A hush fell upon the table as we closely watched the two of them walk to the far corner of the restaurant.

I watched sympathetically as Megumi scolded Sano heavily. Poor Sano stood silently with his hands in his pockets, looking at the ground rather weakly. Megumi just yelled and yelled and Sano remained silent. He gave the impression of an armless soldier in the face of a canon. I just watched for a longer while before I finally ran out of patience and walked towards them. Megumi watched me coming midway and suddenly stopped furiously. She shot Sano a last disgusted look before she turned and left for the door. She bumped shoulders hard with me on the way and mumbled aloud something that I'm sure was 'Sister my ass'. I watched her back in shock till she disappeared out if the door. Then I went to Sano who was still standing in the same pose. It ached to see him shaken so badly. To any one else watching, Sano's immobility resembled coolness, but I knew him much better than that. He was frozen because he felt too shocked to know how to react.

"Sano, SANO" I called him twice but I got no response in return.

"Hey," he finally replied.

His pale face looked at me with a mixture of hurt and confusion before he draped his slim arm around my shoulders.

"Let's go back to our table" he said as he dragged be back with him.

Misao tried to stir up conversations but in vain. Everyone could sense Sano's depression and did not feel like partying anymore.

His love for Megumi could've been weighed by the world, he would've given her anything she asked for, yet she lost it all by a flick of anger and jealousy.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I can't take it anymore. I feel guilty for what happened. It's better if I leave now." I suddenly burst out.

Sano stared at me blankly; he seemed so tired and exhausted.

"Hold on, I'll walk you to your place."

"No it's okay Sano, there's no need"

"Karou, its fine. I think I also need to walk a bit"

"Okay," I said softly, getting up and gathering my stuff.

"See you later" nodding in the direction of Ken and Misao, and Aoshi.

"Later" echoed ken and misao.

The weather outside was a bit chilly, and considering what I wore-shorts and a tank top-I started feeling cold pretty quickly.

A few minutes of awkward silence passed between us before I spoke up.

"Listen sano, I'm sorry if I had anything to do with you and Megumi's breakup. I feel real bad about it"

"Don't be" there was something in his voice that I couldn't quite figure out. Maybe sadness or anger. Or maybe both. "You've got nothing to do with it.

A few more minutes of silence passed until he spoke up again.

"I love you"

I stopped and stared at him.

"You love me?" I asked. _Over Megumi so soon? _I didn't know what to say.

"No, not like that" he said "I love you like a sister"

I looked at him and smiled. I knew exactly whet he meant because I felt it too.

"I always wanted an older brother" I said softly.

"Exactly" he laughed "I always thought it would be neat to have a little sis"

My thoughts drifted away into other things; the end of the year is approaching, and Sano would be soon leaving to college, and I would have to stay behind in high school.

"Hey sis" he said "what are you thinking about?"

"You" I replied shortly "I'm going to miss you a lot when you go off to college, promise you'll remember me"

"Don't worry" he smiled "I'm planning on kidnapping you and taking you to college with me."

We both laughed, and he assured me that he'd visit often and arrange for me to visit him on campus.

We finally reached my place. I turned to him.

"Sano, thanks for everything" I said

"No, thanks for you for being here for me" he replied.

I hugged him and he hugged back a little too tightly. For a second I thought he was leaning on me, and only now I knew he was actually _leaning _on me…

**A/N: what do u think, huh? Tell me tell me tell me. (Jumping around like a little kid) u guys know how to do that, right? Fire up with the reviews, so u'll inspire me to write the 3rd and most importantly, the last chapter of like a brother to me. Yes, the next chapter is gonna be the last. **

**Review ppl. Love u all.**

_**-CG**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Like a brother to me**

**A/N: Hi everyone, sorry for the long delay, I just recently finished my O levels (it's a damn hard British system) and I was banned from the net for some time by my parents. Okay people, this is the final chappie of "Like a brother to me", but I just wanna remind you of something, I'm a very good person, not evil in nature, Zen is evil in nature, but I'm the angelic one. And….thanks for all the reviewers who read the whole story. (Individual thanks at the bottom). Love ya all!**

**Disclaimer: No, I do not own RK. What's the point of having Fan It's for us, pathetic fans, who cannot ever own RK, but can display their ideas here!**

**P.S. I also own a few RK video clips! **

**Chapter 3**

I surveyed myself in front of my full length mirror. One thought stroked my mind. I shouldn't have allowed Sano to buy me this dress.

It was dark blue. _To match my eyes _he said. Strapless, which hugged my body down to the waist and then flared out till it covered my toes. Diamond-like studs sparkled the dress, and made it look similar to the sky in the dead of the night. _Makes you look like a princess_, he _remarked_ again.

_We started as friends  
But something happened inside me  
Now I'm reading into everything  
But there's no sign you hear the lightning, baby_

Tonight was the prom night. A month ago, Sano called me late at night, startling me. It turned out that he was thinking, since we were both dateless, it'd be cool if we go to the prom together. I agreed, and the next day after school, he dragged me to the mall into the nearest gowns shop. He even insisted on paying it. Told me to consider it as an early birthday gift.

_You are my very first thought in the morning_

_And my last at nightfall_

_You are the love that came without warning _

I snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of a car honk. I checked my self one last time. Straight hair turned into bouncing curls, light makeup that matched my dress enveloped my face.

I ran downstairs as fast as my high heels would allow me.

Misao's voice boomed from the bathroom, "Damn, that's Aoshi; we're going to be late…Kaoru did you see my heels?"

"They're here downstairs Misao. Hurry up before Aoshi leaves us"

"Oh no, he wouldn't dare, not with me around" she said as she came down. "Oh, God, girl, you look amazing"

"Really?" I twirled around so could see me fully.

"Yeah you look great…nice hair"

"Thanks, you look great yourself"

She really looked pretty. Her dress was a simple, low-cut, pink one. A pearl necklace graced her neck and she let her hair fall all over her shoulders freely.

"Do you think Aoshi will like me this way?"

"Aoshi loves you whatever state you are in" I said, watching her as she fitted the straps of her heels over her tiny feet.

A loud knock interrupted our little chat. Misao hurried over and opened the door. Aoshi stood there looking as handsome as ever in a black tuxedo.

"Hey, Aoshi" Misao said softly as she looked up at him.

"Hey, gorgeous" he replied as he bent down and gave her a light kiss on her lips.

_Late at night when all the world is sleeping_

_I stay up and think of you_

_And I wish all the stars, that somewhere _

_You are, thinking of me too_

The party was getting started as we reached there. I scanned the crowd, searching for Sano. He was nowhere to be seen. He's going to be late like always. I stood by the front door waiting for him.

"Kaoru, aren't you coming inside?" Misao asked

"You go ahead" I replied "Sano and I arranged to meet each other here"

"Okay, as you wish, girlfriend"

Music drifted into my ears as I waited. 10 minutes, 15 minutes. My heels started to annoy me from the continuous standing. Ten more minutes, I thought. And they too passed without him arriving. Another five. Finally I couldn't take it any more. He probably ditched me for someone else; he's probably back with Megumi.

As I turned to walk away, I heard my name being called.

"Kaoru!" But it wasn't Sano. The voice belonged to Kenshin. "I have to tell you something"

"What?" I snapped at him "Did Sano send you instead of him to take me to the prom? Thank you, but I've had enough and I want to go home."

"No" his voice trembled as he spoke "Sano's has…"

"What! Has he gone back with Megumi or something? Well, if he did, then he should've at least told me so I could save myself the humiliation and leave!" I shouted.

"No, Kaoru, it's not that…" Ken said. "You know Sano would never do that…"

"So what is it? Where the hell is he? He should've been her forty minutes ago…I don't think there's an excuse for…" I fumed.

"He's in the hospital" Ken interrupted me.

"I…what? What's he doing in the hospital?" I demanded, worry rising in my chest.

"I…ok, Kaoru…Sano made me swear not to tell you, but I don't think it's fair for you…" Ken murmured.

"Tell me already!" I persisted.

Ken was looking everywhere but at me. "He…he's got leukemia" he whispered.

"WHAT!" I cried. "He's got what!"

"Leukemia…you know, blood cancer…" he murmured.

"You can't be serious…" I choked.

"Would I joke about something like that!" he snapped, and I saw the tears welling in his eyes.

Is it enough to love 

_Is it enough to breathe? _

_Somebody rip me heart out and leave me here to bleed_

I stared at him, speechless. It was impossible. Only last week we were running together. I wanted to scream and yell NO. I wanted to whack him around his head and tell him he's lying. But his face…Ken's face…never looked so serious…and his lips, they seemed to tremble slightly. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't even move. How could it be? He never showed any signs of sickness.

"Kaoru" Ken's voice found its way through the fog that surrounded my mind. He tugged my arm softly. "C'mon, I'll tell you everything on the way to the hospital."

I let him drape his arm around my shoulder and stir me out to the parking lot, because I didn't trust my legs to support me anymore.

He revved the engine and pulled the car out onto the road. A few minutes of silence passed before Ken spoke up. He cleared his throat to attract my attention to him.

"I knew Sano a long way before you did" he started. "We went through everything together. We had everything; a perfect life, a perfect friendship, until..." His voice croaked slightly. "…until that day. Three years ago, Sano went to the hospital to have his annual checkup. We never suspected a thing; it was just a normal check up. _But life ain't a fairly tale._" The bitterness was obvious in his voice, nevertheless he continued. "It was like a bomb being dropped on us when the doctors told us that they diagnosed leukemia in him. He, then, was entered to a cancer center for a series of painful treatments."

I tried to stifle the sob that threatened to come out. My Sano…my dear Sano…why did he have to suffer? Why, on all the people on earth, did it have to be him?

Ken glanced at me quickly before returning his eyes to the road.

_Everybody's looking for that something_

_One thing that makes all complete_

_You find it in the strangest places_

_Places you never knew it could be_

"After a year, the doctors told us his progress was remarkable, and that there's no need to continue with the treatment. And that was the biggest mistake. Sano was very relieved to hear that the treatment was over. He was so happy that he had even when his hair started growing back, and it grew upwards, he let it grow that way, he didn't even bother to try to tame it, he was just glad that he was back to being normal."

I couldn't help the giggle that escaped me; Sano's so funny sometimes.

"He truly lived like a normal person for a whole year…we'll, that's what I observed from my point of view, anyway. He met you, he went back into training and running, he even studied, and I've never seen him enjoy life before as much as he did currently, it's like as if he started discovering the value of every little thing in life, he appreciated and loved everyone and everything…in short, he had developed a new point of view towards life.

"Lately, I've seen him showing some signs of weakness and illness…like the time during the race, I'm sure you noticed that as well…and the other day in school, we were in class, I saw the pain in his face, he excused himself to go to the toilet, but I knew what was actually wrong; he was tired, he went to the clinic to rest a bit. I went and confronted him one day, but he just denied it at first, and then he just broke down completely and told me that it's back…the cancer wasn't completely gone. I'm the only one who knew, he made me promise not to tell a soul."

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell him that he could've convinced him to go back to treatment, but Ken answered my unspoken question…as if he was reading my mind or something.

"I tried to convince him to take the required treatments again, but he was just too stubborn. He said he wasn't ready to take the treatment again, to suffer the intolerable pain; he had enough to last him a lifetime. He has been hiding the symptoms quite well, everyone barely noticed…I guess that's why you must be finding this very weird and hard to believe…'

He didn't say anything for a whole moment, leaving Kaoru to sink into her thoughts.

"We're approaching the hospital" he said suddenly. "Now hear me closely…please be calm, don't let the sight you'll see now shake you, don't cry in front of him. Tonight was the last straw for his body, he couldn't take it any more, and just broke down"

"Uh-huh" I managed to choke.

"We're here" he announced, pulling up before the hospital.

Ken stepped out of the car and started walking towards the hospital building, but stopped when he saw that I was still in the car. He turned back to me and opened my door.

"Kaoru" he said cautiously. "C'mon…don't you want to see Sano?"

I felt as if he was talking to a child who had lost her mum…not to a 16 year old teenager.

"I don't know…" I murmured. "I'm afraid…afraid to lose him…afraid to go on with him…"

Suddenly Ken grabbed my shoulders firmly, and turned me around so that I faced him.

"Listen, Kaoru" he said sharply. "Sano's not going to die, you'll not lose him, _we_ won't lose him, he will survive, do you hear me? He'll survive"

As he pulled me into a hug, I prayed, I prayed with all my might that's he's right.

"Now" he said, tugging at my hand. "Let's go and see our dear friend"

_You find it in the deepest friendships_

_The kind you cherish all your life_

_And when you know how much that means_

_You've found that special thing_

_You're flying without wings_

Death wasn't for Sano, not for my brother. He had such a passion for life. He was real, and real people don't die. We entered the hospital, and I practically ran to Sano's room, pulling Ken after me, before remembering that I don't even know where it is. I stopped and let Ken lead me to the room.

And there he was.

I stood at the door paralyzed.

_He was coming to the prom after all_, I thought sadly, trying to stifle a sob.

He was wearing a tuxedo, a white one, and it was obvious that he was trying to tame his hair a bit. He looked very handsome. But the pretty sight was ruined by the machines that surrounded him. Tubes were attached to his slim hands, and an oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose.

"Sano" I whispered. "I'm here."

"Kaoru?" he turned his head slightly to look at me. "Why did you come? Please go, I don't want you to see me like this. Ken, please take her home."

"No, Sano, I won't leave you…not now" I replied firmly.

I turned to look at Ken, and motioned for him to call Aoshi and Misao. He nodded and went out to call them.

He dialed up Aoshi's number. "Aoshi? This is Ken talking, please come to the hospital now….yes…it's Sano…yes it's back…worse than ever…yeah, man…and bring Misao too, I think Kaoru will need her presence…hurry"

I felt him walking back into the room, but I actually paid no attention. I just held Sano's hand tightly in mine.

"Am I going to die?" Sano looked up at me from his hospital bed.

I looked into his brown eyes and saw something I never saw before. Fear. I paused a moment. I knew I had to be strong for Sano because he had always been strong for me.

"Of course not" I laughed, holding back tears. "You're going off to college in the fall…and by the way, mister, I'm booking you for a date to the beach this summer, so don't try to escape me again, 'cause you'll never be able to escape the mighty Kaoru Kamiya."

He smiled faintly.

_If I die tonight, I'd go with no regrets_

_If it's in your arms, I know that I was blessed_

_And if your eyes are the last thing that I see_

_Then I know the beauty heaven holds for me_

Aoshi and Misao came after a little while. She rushed up to his bed and hugged Sano, trying to do so without causing any severe damage to either him or the machines. She looked strong…or at least she acted like that in front of Sano and the rest of us…but I knew that inside her, she was struggling not to break down.

Everyone excused themselves out of the room after a while, and left me alone with Sano. Doctors and nurses were coming in and out to check on him, while I remained beside him holding his hand all the time.

I stayed with him for 3 hours that night, and those were the final hours of his life. I didn't want to leave his side. I wanted to make sure that he knew I was there for him. I reminded him of his promise for the summer date.

"I love you", were the final words to leave his lips before his grip on my hand loosened.

I stared at him…at his dead, lifeless form. It was too unreal. Sano wasn't supposed to be dead, but he was. Reality has replaced fantasy.

It was then that I felt something between our entwined hands. I untangled my trembling fingers from his still ones. I pried his slender fingers apart and found a necklace…and not any necklace. It was his favorite necklace; the one his guardian, Captain Saggara, gave him before his fatal death. It was really simple; a silver chain with a little silver disk that had Sano's initials carved on it.

I understood what Sano wanted. He wanted to give it to me. I smiled at his tranquil figure and pulled the necklace around my neck. I clasped the little silver disk tightly.

Kissing his forehead for one last time, I whispered a "thank you" and went out of the room.

It was as if his death hadn't dawned on me yet…my brain cells couldn't understand why Sano had closed his eyes forever. I felt as if nothing happened, and I walked to the waiting room where the others sat.

I just stared at them in a weird way, but Misao seemed to have understood what happened, and she broke into sobs. Aoshi held her close to him, and she continued to sob loudly. It was her sobbing that lightened the spark in me. It was then that it dawned to me that Sano was dead. He was _dead_. He won't ever wake up again.

Tears filled my eyes as I looked in Ken's direction.

"He's dead" I choked.

Before any one could say a word I turned and practically ran out into the main corridor, stumbling a bit and catching myself on the edge of a nurse's station.

I heard footsteps coming up behind me. I turned to see Ken approaching me, and suddenly felt all my sadness turn into anger directed at him.

"You…" I said as soon as he was close to me, and tears fill my eyes again. "You promised me. You said he won't die, you said he's going to be fine, that we won't lose him…Why? Why, then? Why is he dead?"

I said that while I was throwing my fists at him, hitting his chest as hard as I can, without really being conscious of what I was doing. And then I felt him grab my arms and pull me towards him in a hug.

"I'm sorry" he whispered into my hair. "I'm so sorry"

I sobbed then, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, no longer able to hold back the tears. I buried my face into his chest as we both slid down to the floor, our sobs echoing through the corridors of the hospital.

_I try to go on like I never knew you_

_I'm awake but my world is half asleep_

_I pray for this heart to be unbroken _

_For without you all I'm going to be is_

_Incomplete _

Sano has been dead only a few months now, but I don't think of him as gone…not Sano. He's still my big brother, and he still watches over me, making sure I'm okay. Sometimes when I'm out running, I hear Sano's voice in the wind, laughing and telling me to keep going.

He's right behind me.

_And I know you're shining down on me from heaven…_

**A/N: Okay, how was it? I know…sad ending, huh? But I want to clear out some stuff before you people start shooting me with insults (but I surely hope that won't happen)….ouch...what was that? A shoe? ZEN! I'm not giving it back to you…ouch! Hey! That's the other pair of it! Golly good, I got a pair of shoes out of this story! Maybe I should write such stories more often!** **No, I'm not giving it back**.

**Anyways, back to the clearance stuff, first of all, I'm a just a beginner in writing stories, so you have to take it easy on me, secondly, you people may find it odd or rather wrong the way I wrote about cancer, but I thought it'll fit this way. He suffered from it before, and then he hid it from them when it came back. Sano is a very strong person. So please don't be harsh on me. And yeah, expect a sequel for this story; I'm thinking of writing one, what do you think? Please tell me and accordingly I'll decide on writing it. Love you all, and now shoot with the reviews, no shoes allowed!**

**Here is a big "THANK YOU" to all of those who had reviewed my story!**

**Starry night blue, Grace 07, WhiteRabbit5, Aya45, nargiegirl21, gabyhyatt, tamz, eyhrtsjkytdlk, starrydreamz, Aikida, Broken Lavender, greenalterego, Queen of Kei, Hawk-EVB, Realm of Dreams, aoisenshi.**


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